Western Tailed-Blue
Cupido amyntula (Boisduval, 1852)
Family: Lycaenidae
Subfamily: Polyommatinae
Identification: Narrow tail on hindwing. Upperside of male blue, female brown with blue at wing base. Underside white with black spots indistinct or lacking; single small orange spot near tail.
Wing Span: 7/8 - 1 1/8 inches (2.2 - 2.9 cm).
Life History: Males patrol and perch during the day. Females lay eggs on flowers or young seedpods of host plant. Caterpillars eat young seeds inside the pod, where they overwinter and pupate.
Flight: March-July. Several broods in southern California, a partial second brood in the southern Rocky Mountains, and one brood elsewhere.
Caterpillar Hosts: Legumes with inflated pods including false lupine (Thermopsis), milkvetch (Astragalus), crazyweed (Oxytropis), and vetches (Vicia and Lathyrus).
Adult Food: Flower nectar.
Habitat: Open - usually native - areas with low shrubs including chaparral, meadows, and open woodland.
Range: Alaska south through western North America and all western mountains to northern Baja California, east across Canada's prairie provinces to northern Michigan, Ontario, and the Gaspé Peninsula.
Conservation: Not usually required.
NCGR: G5 - Demonstrably secure globally, though it may be quite rare in parts of its range, especially at the periphery.
Management Needs: None reported.
Comments: NULL
Alternate Scientific Names:
Everes amyntula
Verified Sightings
Displaying 1 - 24 of 578 verified sightings
Observation date: Aug 29, 2016
Submitted by: Paul Prappas
Region: Coconino County, Arizona, United States
Verified by: John Saba
Verified date: Sep 20, 2017
Observation date: Jun 05, 2017
Submitted by: HeidiG
Region: El Paso County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jul 26, 2017
Observation date: Jun 02, 2017
Submitted by: Sue Orlowski
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 05, 2017
Observation date: May 08, 2017
Submitted by: Melanie Weiss
Region: Yakima County, Washington, United States
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: May 24, 2017
Observation date: May 09, 2017
Submitted by: RexMundi
Region: Marion County, Oregon, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 18, 2017
Observation date: Apr 14, 2017
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Ventura County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Apr 19, 2017
Observation date: May 28, 2015
Submitted by: JoseBonner
Region: Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States
Verified by: stevecary
Verified date: Feb 28, 2017
Observation date: May 28, 2012
Submitted by: plex1ppus
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 23, 2017
Observation date: Jun 16, 2016
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Weston County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Jan 10, 2017
Observation date: Jul 28, 2016
Submitted by: Bdog
Region: San Diego County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Aug 03, 2016
Observation date: Jul 10, 2016
Submitted by: MAKI
Region: Solano County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jul 18, 2016
Observation date: Jun 22, 2016
Submitted by: janazak
Region: Yukon Territory, Canada
Verified by: davidwdroppers
Verified date: Jun 27, 2016
Observation date: Jun 19, 2016
Submitted by: diwalks2@gmail.com
Region: San Bernardino County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Jun 22, 2016
Observation date: May 17, 2016
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jun 01, 2016
Observation date: May 06, 2016
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jun 01, 2016
Observation date: May 13, 2016
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Jun 01, 2016
Observation date: May 23, 2016
Submitted by: TPeterson
Region: Marin County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: May 30, 2016
Observation date: Jun 13, 2015
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: azukoff
Verified date: Feb 19, 2016
Observation date: May 29, 2015
Submitted by: bobscafe
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Verified by: Norbert Kondla
Verified date: Feb 11, 2016
Observation date: Jul 08, 2007
Submitted by: Jdammarell
Region: Spokane County, Washington, United States
Verified by: CA Ivy
Verified date: Jan 21, 2016
Observation date: Jul 10, 2015
Submitted by: ncrosbyrd
Region: Gunnison County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Jan 18, 2016
Observation date: Apr 16, 2015
Submitted by: Josiah Gilbert
Region: San Luis Obispo County, California, United States
Verified by: Ken Davenport
Verified date: Dec 11, 2015
Observation date: May 31, 2015
Submitted by: J_Martineau
Region: Sheridan County, Wyoming, United States
Verified by: J_Martineau
Verified date: Dec 07, 2015
Observation date: Jun 17, 2015
Submitted by: rob77897@gmail.com
Region: Summit County, Colorado, United States
Verified by: mikefisher
Verified date: Sep 12, 2015
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